U.S. District Judge William Alsup in California ordered six federal agencies, including the Treasury, Department of Defense, and Department of Energy, to reinstate thousands of probationary employees who were dismissed last month, dealing a blow to the Trump administration's efforts to quickly reduce the federal workforce, writes The Wall Street Journal. The ruling does not extend to other agencies affected by the layoffs, although Alsup did not rule out that this practice could be expanded in the future.
The American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit on behalf of tens of thousands of probationary employees who, it claims, were dismissed last month at the direction of the Office of Personnel Management. The dismissals were made for "performance-related reasons," according to the lawsuit.
Alsup, nominated by former President Bill Clinton, stated in his remarks that he does not question the government's right to dismiss employees, but it must be done within proper legal procedures. "It's a sad day when the federal government dismisses a good employee and claims it's based on performance, knowing full well it's a lie," Alsup said. He pointed to employees who were told they were dismissed for performance reasons despite excellent work reviews.
According to the Office of Personnel Management, more than 200,000 employees, or nearly 10% of civilian federal employees, have been in their position for a year or less. This number may also include recently promoted employees. DOGE's efforts will directly or indirectly lead to the reduction of nearly 500,000 jobs.
These reductions have sparked a series of legal disputes. The latest lawsuit was filed on Thursday when a coalition of 20 states challenged plans to eliminate nearly half of the Department of Education's staff. They argue that the Trump administration's plans to dismantle the department contradict the Constitution. The reductions in the Department of Education will disrupt educational programs and prevent the agency from fulfilling its core responsibilities, the lawsuit states.
On Tuesday, the Department of Education announced it is cutting approximately 1,950 employees, including 1,315 federal workers. The Department of Education, which employed about 4,500 people as of last year, is the smallest cabinet-level agency. Surveys show that most Americans oppose the department's elimination.